Target: New York City Council members
Goal: Create a registry that would prevent convicted animal abusers from adopting animals.
A New York City Council member recently proposed a bill to create a registry of animal abusers, which would prevent those on the list from adopting or buying animals from shelters and pet stores. There are currently three counties, all in New York State, with this type of registry, but this one would be the largest. Passing this bill in such a large city would influence other cities to create animal abuser registries, and it would send a message to people around the country that animal abuse will not be tolerated.
The bill was introduced by council member Peter Vallone Jr. after learning about a New York man who brutally threw his dog out of a third story window. The proposed registry is similar to sex offender registries in that the abusers would have to register themselves with the city every year for five years to avoid facing jail time or being fined. The lists would be made available to pet stores and animal shelters to ensure that every animal ends up in a safe environment.
Animal abuse should not be treated as a less heinous offense than domestic abuse; the abusers should be seen as dangerous and violent people who pose a threat to other living things. This is especially important because many animal abusers are also abusive toward family members, and putting them on a list could alert authorities to investigate other types of violence that might be occurring in the home. Because of the connection to domestic abuse, a bill such as this once could save human lives as well as animals’ lives.
Although similar bills have been proposed in several other states, funding issues have prevented them from passing. Animal abuse should be treated as a serious crime, and animal abusers must be seen as violent individuals capable of hurting those around them. The New York City Council should be urged to pass this bill in spite of its cost because it could save many animals’ lives, and indirectly save human lives.
Dear New York City Council Members,
I am writing to encourage you to pass the proposed bill to create a registry of convicted animal abusers. If the registry were implemented in a city as large as New York, it would be national news, sending a message to people nationwide that animal abuse will not be tolerated.
These types of laws have been proposed in many other places around the country and most have failed for financial reasons. The passage of this bill in New York City would show other cities around the country that animals’ lives are worth more than the amount of money that it would cost to save them. Additionally, because of the connection between animal abuse and domestic abuse, the new law could end up saving human lives as well.
I am urging you to act as a role model for other cities that are considering this type of bill. This issue should be made a top priority and everything possible must be done to protect the safety of animals and people across the country.
[Your Name Here]
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